8 KERALA CALLING rom the beginning itself the LDF Government has made it clear that the State cannot go ahead without increasing the production in agricultural and industrial sectors. The most essential elements for the sustainable development ofF the State are the revitalisation of sick industries, starting new industries, solving agricultural crisis and increasing production. Rejuvenated, and now Progressing ith a bright record of unprecedented of globalisation to open up market to the foreign success in the spheres of development monopoly by destroying our agriculture sector. and welfare, the Left Democratic This situation puts Kerala in trouble, as it is W absolutely a consumer state. We have to depend Front Government enters into the third year. The element, which makes the government unique, on other states for everything including rice. Nor is its alternate policies to render optimum solace we utilise our possibilities in agricultural to the laymen while they face the phenomenon production. of food deficiency and acute price hike all over The Government are giving utmost emphasis India due to globalisation. on resolving this crisis. Encouraging paddy From the beginning itself the LDF cultivation by conserving at least the remaining Government has made it clear that the State paddy fields is our aim. Approval of the bill V.S. Achuthanandan cannot go ahead without increasing the preventing reclamation of paddy fields and Chief Minister production in agricultural and industrial sectors. wetlands is as part of it. A comprehensive The most essential elements for the sustainable programme is in the pipeline to enhance development of the State are the revitalisation of production of food grains and other food materials. sick industries, starting new industries, solving When the Left Democratic Government came agricultural crisis and increasing production. It is into power, the procurement of paddy was a matter of pride that we could start in the aforesaid nominal. And the rate was only Rs.7 per kg. The matters. LDF government enhanced the rate up to Rs.10 The threat on food security is the matter of by this year and thus the procurement has been concern globally. The United Nations itself is vitalised. As a result, a 30 per cent increase in coming to the forefront to warn against the production at Kuttanad and Palakkad could be ensuing food war. India too, is heading towards achieved. But, the damage unleashed by the an acute food crisis. The rocketing price, leasing summer rain on paddy cultivation this March is out of warehouses to monopoly, ceasing inexplicable. The government could render a procurement of food grains and the destruction compensation of Rs. ten thousand per hectare to of public distribution system are the main reasons aggrieved farmers. Even though the Centre turned behind this. It is the outcome of the conspiracy a blind eye, the State government could console May 2008 9 KERALA CALLING the farmers by dispersing due Centre is not willing to grand the amount. Supplyco and Consumerfed. Rice shops compensation on war-foot. However, we are pressurising for the same. have been started with moderate rate. The It is worth mentioning that the various Another special package is approved State Government grants subsidy without steps taken by the government from its for the plantation sector in Idukki district. any reservation in order to intervene the very inception could almost wipe out the During the previous regime suicides were market. suicide tendency of farmers. Three districts the phenomenon in plantation sector too. The Central Government is of Kerala out of the 36 in the country Many plantations were locked off. Workers persecuting the State by cutting down 82 included in Central Government’s list were destined to starvation. The per cent of the APL rice share of Kerala. where severe farmer suicides were reported, government could change that situation The State Government are staging strong have now been exempted from the list. and reopen the plantations. pressure against this and are taking all The remaining 33 districts still witness Now the Government is striving to measures possible to avoid scarcity of rice. farmer suicide that illustrates the difference hold on the price hike by strengthening Phenomenal task has been going on between government of Kerala and the public distribution system through to recover government land from rest in India. encroachers. In Munnar alone, it recovered In order to solve the burning crisis in twelve thousand acres of land. Demolished agricultural sector, Vidarbha model about hundred unauthorised huge packages could be obtained from the buildings and resorts. In the State as a Centre for three districts by providing In order to solve the whole, more than 15,000 acres of land accurate statistics and eserting pressure burning crisis in has been recovered. , unlike the previous government, which agricultural sector The legendary event of evacuation of was suppressing the facts on suicide due Vidarbha model encroachments is an unprecedented one to egoism. The Rural Employment packages could be in the history of Kerala. The recovered and Assurance Scheme has been implemented obtained from the other surplus land will be distributed to effectively. Thus a revitalisation in the landless. Each family should have land, agriculture sector has been materialised. Centre for three home, electricity and drinking water- is Ours is a land of 7.5 million farmers and districts by providing the policy of the Government. EMS Total 2.5 million agricultural labourers. accurate statistics and Housing Scheme has been started for all A special package worth Rs.1840 crore exerting pressure unlike homeless in the State. Within the next has got approved for Alappuzha district the previous three years, Kerala will become a total to drive out the crisis and paralysis. Long- government, which was housing State. One-acre land for each term scientific projects have been prepared suppressing the facts on 1717 adivasi families has been distributed for conserving Kuttanad, our granary, in Aralam farm. Medical Treatment for farmers’ suicide due to Onattukara paddy lands, and for reviving egoism. tribals becomes free of cost. other crops in Alappuzha district and to The Right Front ridiculed the Left rejuvenate the fisheries sector. But the Front as anti-developmental during the May 2008 10 KERALA CALLING election time. There existed a circumstance to call us as anti-developmental. The hot protest and agitations against unscrupulous exploitation of land, water and nature were viewed as anti- All welfare pensions developmental. Allegations raised against have been hiked upto the Smart City project were also important among them. The opposition demanded Rs.200 at a stretch ¦ Smart City in Kochi becomes a reality; that the Government might go ahead only and the arrears are 90000 job opportunities without handing over the Infopark, disbursed. Hundreds ¦ Development of Kochi Infopark; 40,000 ensuring fair price for the land and of thousands of new job opportunities rejecting the condition that there should labourers have been ¦ Kerala State-Wide Area Network becomes not be any other IT park in Ernakulam. brought under a reality Those statements holding the vast interest Welfare Funds ¦ 3000 Akshaya centres throughout the of the State, were portrayed as anti- State to deliver service to common people including about two developmental. Then the Smart City lakh small scale ¦ Preliminary procedures for Kochi Metro became the central slogan of the assembly Rail Project election. plantation workers. ¦ Railway coach factory at Palakkad Now, the Smart City is going to be a ¦ Commissioning of Kollam – Kottappuram reality. Relentless attempt to materialise the National Water Way; actions are taken to extend the waterways upto project protecting the noble intentions of Neeleswaram from Kovalam the State has been undertaken. Thus great ¦ Succeeded in bringing in the educational modifications in favour of the State could Commission has also come into being. institutions like Indian Institute of Space be made in the stands of TECOM. A Science, Central University, Indian quantum jump in the field of IT sector All welfare pensions have been hiked Institute of Science Education Research, could be achieved within the past one and upto Rs.200 at a stretch and the arrears National School of Mathematics a half year. For establishing Techno City, are disbursed. Hundreds of thousands of ¦ Welfare scheme for NRKs 507 acres of land is acquiring in labourers have been brought under ¦ Sutharyakeralam programme for the Thiruvananthapuram. Technopark sees a Welfare Funds including about two lakh speedy redressal of public complaints development where another 100 acres of small scale plantation workers. land is being acquired. Steps have been The Shops and Establishments taken to establish IT parks at various Labourer Welfare Fund Law gives solace districts. Many IT companies have already to one million families in the unorganised started new ventures in Technopark and sector. This law ensures job security, Infopark. The target is the creation of two pension, family pension, leave, delivery lakh job opportunities in the IT sector. leave et. al. Likewise a law which fixes However, the present position reveals that pension and welfare fund for tens of The Government is the employment opportunities will be thousands of dairy farmers has also been aware that small many fold. 40,000 more job opportunities implemented. A new law is introduced to will be generated within next three years save the Devaswom Board, which was a scale industries are at Infopark, the very institution that was corrupted one to a great extent. Devaswom providing largestThe decided to handover free of cost by the Board appointments are handed over to number of jobs. previous government. Projects are being PSC. Government has implemented to make the State totally UDF governance was the taken a number of computer literate. The plan, Akshaya personification of law and order breaking initiatives to Kendras in every village is advancing.